Miles Davis: Ascenseur pour l’Échafaud review – harmonic openness for Louis Malle’s haunting noir thriller
Miles Davis's soundtrack for Louis Malle's 1957 film 'Ascenseur pour l’Échafaud' has been reissued, showcasing its timeless beauty and improvisational brilliance. The music, created in a single night, reflects the film's themes of love and crime with a unique harmonic openness. This reissue celebrates Davis's centenary and his influential contributions to jazz music.
- ▪The soundtrack was mostly improvised and recorded in a Paris studio in December 1957.
- ▪Miles Davis's music for the film mirrors the emotional turmoil of its characters.
- ▪The reissue includes restored audio, photographs, and essays about the album.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Timelessly extraordinary … (from left) Miles Davis, Marcel Romano and Louis Malle in 1957. Photograph: Jean-Pierre Leloir/Gamma-RaphoView image in fullscreenTimelessly extraordinary … (from left) Miles Davis, Marcel Romano and Louis Malle in 1957. Photograph: Jean-Pierre Leloir/Gamma-RaphoJazz album of the monthMusicReviewMiles Davis: Ascenseur pour l’Échafaud review – harmonic openness for Louis Malle’s haunting noir thriller(Decca France)The trumpeter’s improvised soundtrack for the new wave director’s 1957 film still glows with sensuality, tension and nocturnal beauty in this lavish reissueJohn FordhamFri 22 May 2026 03.30 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleWhen Miles Davis was dying in September 1991, an invisible, neighbouring trumpet player, who this writer would frequently hear…
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